Field
The present disclosure generally relates to methods and compositions for contraception and manipulation or other reproduction-associated traits. In some embodiments, vector based approaches for contraception are provided.
Description of the Related Art
Currently, one approach to achieving control over reproduction and sex-related behaviors is though surgery. Several alternative methods include the use of drugs that mimic or antagonize reproductive hormones, or injection of chemicals directly into the testes that destroy reproductive tissues.
In some situations, groups have used vaccinations with specific antigens to induce expression of antibodies that inhibit the function of specific proteins. Animals and humans can be vaccinated so as to induce the creation of antibodies that bind to, and neutralize or destroy proteins or pathogens foreign to the body. Animals can also be vaccinated so as to generate antibodies that bind to proteins normally present in the body (self antigens), though the responses mounted are often attenuated and transient as compared with those mounted to non-self antigens. Of specific importance for the discussion below, it has been known that vaccination of humans and other animals against specific self antigens or complex mixtures of self antigens (i.e. whole sperm) can bring about infertility (though usually only transient infertility, reviewed in (Gupta, S. K. and Bansal, P. 2010 Reprod Med Biol 9: 61-71; Kirkpatrick, J. F. et al. 2011 Am J Reprod Immunol 66: 40-50; McLaughlin, E. A. and Aitken, R. J. 2011 Molecular and cellular endocrinology 335: 78-88; Gupta et al. Human Vaccines and immunotherapeutics 10: 4, 1-15) Where examined, these effects are thought (with a few exceptions in which antibody or T-cell mediated toxicity is involved) to result from the induction of antibodies that neutralize the function of the relevant protein through simple binding. These observations show that in vivo antibody titers induced through vaccination can be sufficient to inhibit fertility on a very limited basis. However, to date, this has not become a useful means of contraception, perhaps in part, due to the fact that, as noted above, the responses are often attenuated and transient.